Negotiating teams from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will meet today to begin detailed talks on government formation.
However, it is unclear how they will deal with a call from the Green Party to suspend the discussions due to coronavirus.
Sources say yesterday's scoping exercise looking at how coalition negotiations between Fianna Fáíl and Fine Gael would work was "good and constructive".
With the Taoiseach in the States, and needing a green light from his party next week to begin formal talks, it is up to negotiating teams to thrash out the main issues until then.
Today's talks will likely get into more detail on how to tackle coronavirus, and Covid-19 has led to the Green Party dealing a blow to the discussions.
Both parties want the Greens to consider getting involved in coalition, but they say a crisis national government should be set up for three months instead and all talks suspended.
It is unclear whether this will affect the talks process, and it is still too difficult to say how long discussions will go on for.
